LSU got a major boost Tuesday as UCLA transfer guard Skyy Clark was cleared to play, giving Will Wade another experienced piece as he sorts through a complicated roster picture ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Beth A.R. McGowen granted a preliminary injunction in Glancey v.
NCAA, opening the door for Clark and dozens of other players from the 2022 recruiting class to keep their eligibility for an extra season. The ruling covers 76 basketball players challenging the NCAA's new five-year eligibility model, including Clark, LSU guard Donovan Dent, BYU forward Jaxon Kohler and Gonzaga guard Xaivian Lee.
That matters for Wade, who has spent much of the offseason dealing with uncertainty while trying to piece together a competitive group through the transfer portal. For the moment, Clark is available to LSU. The catch: the NCAA has already appealed, and it could also ask for a stay that would pause the injunction while the case is reviewed.
Clark’s path to this point has been tied up in that same legal fight for months. The NCAA’s five-year eligibility model allows athletes to compete for five seasons within five years, but it does not apply retroactively to players who finished their eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year. Clark was among the players who challenged that decision.
He first got relief in August, when the California court issued a temporary restraining order protecting players seeking an extra season. McGowen then held a preliminary injunction hearing on Sept. 29, but the proceedings were continued to Oct. 20 after the court ran out of time for testimony. Tuesday’s ruling goes further than the temporary restraining order, keeping players eligible while the lawsuit moves ahead.
Still, this is far from a final answer. Recent decisions in other states have shown how quickly those protections can disappear.
On Oct. 2, a Kentucky appeals court overturned a separate injunction that had allowed several athletes to chase a fifth season. The NCAA has also won stays in other eligibility cases, stopping some players from competing even after they initially got favorable rulings.
That backdrop explains why Tuesday’s news is significant for LSU without being the final word. Wade can plan with Clark in the mix for now, but the appeal keeps the situation unsettled.
What LSU is getting, at least on paper, is a veteran guard with a track record at a few major programs. Clark spent the last two seasons at UCLA, where he became a dependable scorer and experienced backcourt presence. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 11.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 26 appearances for the Bruins.
His college journey began at Illinois in the 2022-23 season, followed by a move to Louisville for 2023-24 before landing at UCLA. That experience across the Big Ten, ACC and Big Ten again gives LSU a guard who has already logged time against high-major competition.
And the fit in Baton Rouge is obvious. Clark’s offense and versatility give Wade more options, especially next to fellow UCLA transfer Donovan Dent. Dent, who also received an extra season through legal proceedings, is expected to be a central part of LSU’s offense.
If both guards stay available, LSU suddenly has a backcourt with real punch. For Wade, that’s the kind of development that can change how the whole season looks.
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LSU's SEC Fight Just Raised A New Problem For Will Wade
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has jumped into LSUs ongoing fight with the SEC, filing a motion that seeks to knock out the conferences federal lawsuit against LSU officials. Murrill dismissed the SECs latest claims as a Hail Mary, a sign that the case, which began with allegations aimed at LSU football officials over recruiting ex-pro athletes, has now widened into a much messier battle for the university.
The expansion into mens basketball only adds to the pressure around Will Wades program, especially with the SEC now pressing beyond the original football-related dispute. Wade has already said he plans to follow conference rules that bar athletes who previously signed professional contracts from being rostered, but the conferences broader approach means LSU is now dealing with a legal fight that could reach deeper into how it handles basketball recruiting, too. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Roster Picture Just Changed With One Big Eligibility Twist
LSUs roster picture got a lot clearer with a wave of eligibility updates that should help settle some of the uncertainty around the mens basketball rotation. Saliou Niang, Brice Dessert, Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent have all been ruled eligible to play, giving the Tigers a stronger sense of what their lineup and depth chart can look like as the season approaches. Niang brings the promise of an athletic upside that has already made him stand out as an NBA draft pick, while Dessert is expected to add help in the frontcourt.
Dent and Clark, who were teammates at UCLA, now look set to be part of LSUs backcourt mix, an encouraging development for a team trying to build continuity in the right places. Even so, not every update was as clean, and one players status came with a less positive note, leaving at least one part of the roster situation still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Should Keep An Eye On Bryce Underwood's Michigan Drama
Bryce Underwoods situation at Michigan has quickly become one of the more closely watched quarterback storylines in the country, and LSU fans have a natural reason to pay attention. The freshman has been benched, with Tommy Carr expected to take over as the starter in the upcoming game, which has only added to the uncertainty around Underwoods place in Ann Arbor and where his career might be headed next.
Underwood has not entered the transfer portal, but the chatter around his future is already building, and LSU is among the programs being mentioned as a possible landing spot if he chooses to move on. Miami, Texas Tech, Georgia and Kentucky are also in the mix, which means this could become a national recruiting and roster watch for the Tigers if the situation keeps trending in this direction. [Read more 🡒]